Fluid pressure brake



Fig.3.

May 23,1939. E, ITT 1 2,159,797

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE Filed Feb. 26, 1958 I2 6 13/5 /4 /e a 4/ /7 AUXILIARY 27 3948464 37 RESERVOIR 3/79 32 as 80 EMERGENCY 4 RESERVOIR l'gb.

5 ATTORNEY Patented May 23, 1939 were STATES.

PATENT OFFICE If RESSURE BRAKE EllisLE. Hewitt, Edgewood, Pa., assignor to The t Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, l?a., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 26, 1938-, Serial No. 192,812

' Claims; I (01. 303-35) 'Ihis invention relates to fluid pressure brake eql ipment and more particularlyto that type of equipment, disclosed in the patent f Clyde C. i Farmer No. 2,031,213,issued February 18, 1936,

5 and known as the AB" brake equipment.

Included inthe above mentionedtype of brake equipment is a brake cylinder build up control valvemechanism which, when an emergency application of the brakes is being efiected, func- 10 tions to first providea' limited initial inshot of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder to apply the brakes with suflicient force to start the slack in the train to close or gather, and to then i provide a slowbuild up in brake cylinder pres,-

1 ,5 sure to insure the gentle gathering ofthe slack in the train, andjlastly to provide afinal inshot iof fluid under pressure-to thefbrake cylinder 1 d which continues until thefuill emergency brake ylinder pressure is obtained. On a long train, suchifor instanceas a trainof a hu ndred cars or more, where there is considerable slack to gather; this controlof brake cylinder pressurefis very desirable in that it efiectively prevents harsh gatheringor closing of the slack and; thereby;

I prevents heavy damaging shocks from being created in the train. d On-shorter trainsysay for instance fifty cars or less; the train slack will of course bematerially less than onthe longer trains andbonse quently the slack closing or gathering shocks in effecting an emergencyapplication of the brakes; will be of'less magnitude thanon the longer trains, so that the buildupof brake cylinder pressuremay be at a faster rate than, on the- 5. longer train. Onfshort trains employed in fast freight'service where the trains are operated-at high speedi. e.. on passenger schedules, this in- ,crease in the rate of build=up 0i brake cylinder pressure is very desirable to insureprompt and safe emergency stops; It should here be men} tioned that certain cars equipped with the above .mentionedtype of brake equipment inay be em:

played, at one time in long trains andat another I time in short-trains andsinceQ in effecting an emergency application of the brakes, the rate of increase in: brake cylinder pressureon long trains is too slow "forthe prope'r safe control of Jthe brakes on "short trains operating I at high speed it is the principal object of the present in- ,5'0' vention to-provide a fluid pressure brake equipmentifof' the abovementioned type with means thereof may be readily conditioned to provide the a desired rate ofemergencybuildfupoi *brake'cyL' inder' pissnre "for'either' long or short trainsjj wherbythe.brake controlling valve device 'rendering the brake cylinder build up control valve mechanism either effective or ineffective to wholly control the rate of increase in brake cylinder pressure in effecting an emergency application of the brakes, thus an AB type of brake equipment may be readily conditioned for use in short trains to be operated at high speeds orfor use in long freight trains to be operatedat slower speeds. This conditioning feature makesitpossible to quickly and easily'condition the brake equipment for either of the above mentioned train services thus facilitating thetransfer of a car or cars from one train service to the other. In the present embodiment of the invention the conditioning means are embodied in'an adapter or filler which is clamped between the pipe bracket and the emergency portion of the brake controlling valve, device of the ordinary AB freight brake equipment, but it will be, understood that, if desired,the conditioningm'eans may be originallyincluded in the pipe bracketfor any other suitable portion of the brake controlling" valve device.

' Another objectof theinvention is toprovide a" fluid pressure brake equipment of 1 the above mentioned type having a brake cylindercoirimunication which by-passes the brake cylinder pressure build-up control valve mechanism for assisting in controlling the rate of build-upofbrake cylin der pressure and whichis adapted to be cut into or out of controlling condition through theme dium of an adjustable blanking plate, a removable plug or a suitable valve.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide means adapted tobe added to a standardfABf. brake equipment for selectively rendering the brake cylinder pressure build up control mech anism embodied therein either effective to wholly control the rate of increase inbrake' cylinder pressure in effecting an emergency applicationof the brakes or for cutting additional buildfup control means into operation to increase therate" of build up in brake cylinder pressure. Other objects and advantages will appear in the following more detailed description of thein vention. I2 5"? In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is' a dia grammatic view, mainly in se'ctibnQof a fluid; pressure brake equipment embodying the means: for conditioning the equipment for either long or short train operation, the several parts of the equipment being shown in emergency position and the conditioning means being shown in posir tionto condition the equipment vfor short train means in position for long train operations; Figs.

5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views .similarto Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, but showing 7,

a modification of the invention in which a rotatable valve is employed for cutting the conditioning means into or out of operation.

As shown the brake equipment may comprise the brake controlling valve device I, a brake pipe 2, an auxiliary reservoir 3, an emergency reservoir 4 and a brake cylinder 5.

The brake controlling valve device I may comprise an equalizing portion 6, an emergency portion I and a pipe bracket 8, the service and emergency portions being clamped to opposite sides of the pipe bracket, there being an adapter or filler portion 9 interposed between the emergency portion and-the pipe bracket.

With the exception of the adapter or filler portion 9, the brake controlling valve device I may be identical in every respect with the corresponding device shown and described in the aforementioned Farmer patent, however, in the present case the showingof the device has been simplified by omitting several parts, passages and ports which are not necessary to a clear understanding of the invention. i

The equalizing portion 6 comprises a casing having a piston chamber l0 which is connected through a passage and pipe H to thebrake pipe 2 and which contains a piston l2 having a stem |3 adapted to actuate a mainslide valve l4 and an auxiliary slide valve |5 contained in a valve chamber I6 which is connected through a passage and pipe IT to the auxiliary reservoir 3.

The emergency portion 1 may comprise a casing having a piston chamber l8 whichis in constant open communication with the brake pipe passage byway of a passage I9 which is provided in the filler portion 9;- Contained in chamber I8 is an emergency piston 20 having a stem 2| which is adapted to actuatea main slide valve 22 and an auxiliary slide valve "23 contained in a valve chamber 24 which is connected through a passage 25 to a quick action chamber 26 formed in the pipe bracket 8, which passage extends through the filler portion.

Associated with the emergency portion is a brake cylinder build up control valve mechanism which may comprise an inshot valve portion 21, and-a timing or final inshot valve portion 28. Also associatedwith the emergency portion is a quick action vent valvedevice 29.

The inshot valve device comprises an inshot valve 3ll which is contained in a chamber 3| having constant open communication with a passage 32 in the filler portion, which passage 32 is passage 35 which is connected to a pipe 36 leading to the brake cylinder, a portion of the passage 35 being formed in the filler portion 9. The chamber 3| is further connected to the passage 35 by way of a choke passage 31. Contained in the chamber 3| is a spring 38 which constantly biases the valve 30 in the direction toward its seat.

For controlling the operation of the valve 30 there is provided a piston 39 having a stem 49 which operatively engages the valve. At one side of this piston there is a chamber 4| which is connected through a passage 42, a small volume chamber 43 and a passage 44 to the seat for the emergency main .slide valve. chamber 4| and engaging the face of the piston is a spring 45 which has a greater pressure value than the spring 38 acting on the valve 30 in opposition to the spring 45. The rear face of the piston 39 is provided with a gasket 46 which is adapted to engage a valve seat 41 formed in the casing. This gasket is normally maintained in sealing engagement with the seat 4'! by the spring 45 acting through the medium of the piston, thus separating the outer seated area of the rear face of the piston from the inner seated area thereof. The outer seated area of the piston is connected through a passage 48 to the piston chamber 4| and the inner seated area is exposed to a chamber 49 which is in constant open communication with the brake cylinder passage 35.

The filler portion 9 is provided with a choked passage 50 which is in open communication with inshot valve chamber 3| and is further provided with a passage 5| which is in open communication with the brake cylinder passage 35. For short train operation Where a fast rate of brake cylinder pressure build up is desired, the passages 5|] and 5| are connected together so as to form a communication from the chamber 3| to that portion of the brake cylinder. passage 35 leading directly to the brake cylinder. tion by-passes the control valve mechanism so that such mechanism is rendered ineffective to wholly control the rate of increase in brake cylinder pressure. As shown in Fig. 1, the passages 50 and 5| are connected together by way of a cavity 52 in a plate 53 which is adjustably secured to the filler portion 9,so that it may be moved to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 to cut out the communication between the passages 50 and 5| and thereby condition the brake controlling valve mechanism for long train operation. As shown in Fig. 3 the passage 50 is connected to the passage 5| by way of a screw threaded opening 54 in an interior wall of the filler portion -for short train operation and for long train operation a plug 55- is screwed into opening as shown in Fig. 4 to. cut ofi communication between the passages 59 and 5|, the filler member being provided with an opening through which the plug may be inserted, which opening is adapted to be closed by a screw plug 53; and as shown in Fig. 5 the passages 59 and 5| are connected together by a port 5'! in a plug valve 58-rotatably mounted in the fillermember, which valve is provided with an operating handle 59 through the medium of which the valve may be rotated to its long train operation as shown in Fig. 6 in which position the valve cuts off communication between the pasages 50 and 5|.

The timing or inshot valve device 28 maycomprise a flexible diaphragm 69 and a timing or inshot valve 6|, which valve is under the control or the flexible diaphragm. At one side of this diaphragm is a chamber BTwhich is connected This communica- Contained in the..-

tamer: are agi chamber =24, and at the other side of thedia -I phragmds a; chamber 64 which: is. connected through a chokepassage 65 to the brake cylinder passage 35 and which contains thevalve ii l The valveis adapted to engage a valve seat 63 which is iormed on the. casingand whenso seated the-I I inner area thereof is exposed to a chamber5I which is in constant open communication with h essa I lhe quick action vent valve device may be identicalwith the corresponding vent valve device sh wn in the aforementioned Farmer patent and ew of this will only be briefly described here. As hown this device comprises a quick action ventitvalve 63 which is contained in a chamber 63 constantly open to the brake pipe passage II "'small diameter which connectsthe chamber '12 to a chamber I5 constantly open to the atmosphere. I I I -fIn initially charging, the equipment, fluid under pressure whichis supplied tothebrake pipe 2- in, the usual manner flows through pipe and passages I to the equalizing piston chamber III);

chamber IS: in the filler portion 5 and consequently to the emergency piston chamber I8,

With the equalizing piston I2 inIIrelease position fluid under pressure flows from the piston chambers Ill through feed grooves I6 and H to the equalizingvalve chamber I3, and from thence flovvs through passage and pipe I I to the auxiliary I 4 reservoir 3. Fromtthe chamber I6 fluid unde 1 pressure flows to the emergencyreservoir 4 by I way of a port IS-,in themainslide valve M, a: o v

sages .50 and I5I continues the rate of increase in passage I9 and a passage and pipe 8|1=;I. With the Iv/ I equalizing main slide valve in release position the brake cylinder 5 is open to the atmosphere byway of pipe36, passage 35, passage 34 inthe inshot valve device, inshot-valve chamber 3|, passages 32 and 33 a cavity 8| in the equalizing main slide valve I4 and a passage 82.

I With the emergency piston 20 in release posi- II tion, fluidunder pressure being supplied to the emergency piston chamber I8 flows througha small port 82 to the passage 25. and from thence emergency slide valve chamber 24. From the passage 63 to the diaphragm chamber 32 of the timing-valve device 28, the-pressure oi fluid in ,II chamberI 52 acting on the diaphragm Sate main tain they timing valve 6| seated on the seat rib 66. With the emergency main slide valve 22 in release position the piston chamber M of the in- I- shot valve device is connected to the atmosphere I by way of passage 42, chamber 43, passage 44, a. cavity 83 in the slide valve 22and passage 33. I IEven though the chamber 4| is thus connected to the atmosphere the spring 45 vactsto maintain "the inshot Valve open against the opposing I pressure of thespring 38. I I I I [From the foregoing description of the'chargi ing it willbe seen that the vbrakesare released jandthat the equipment is fully charged with fluid under pressure;

f' lli connected together as shownin anyone of the ency valve which; is normally maintained seated'by the,

t and to the quick action vent valve chamber 69.

flows to the quickaction chamber Mand the 55 i i i I chamber 24 fluid under pressure flows through Assuming now that the passages 50; and 5| are Figs.

w s {bi 5 thedrawing; and it is desired to effect an emergency application of the brakes,

an emergencyreduction in brake pipe pressure is effected inIthe usual manner which causes the several parts of the equalizing portion and emergency. portion to moveIto the-position in which they are shown in Fig. 1. I I

With the equalizing piston I2 and slide valves I4 and I5 associated therewith in this position, fluidunder pressure flows from the auxiliary reservoirto the inshot valve chamber 3l of the inshot valve device byway of pipes and passagechamber 3| flows past the inshot valve 30 through passage 34, passage and pipe 36 to the brake cylinder and also flows through the connected passages 'and 5| to the passage 35 and thence to thetbrake cylinder. Now when the brake Icylinder pressure has been increased sufiiciently to.

cause the usual brake shoes to engagelthe wheels so as to start the slack in the'train togather or close, the piston 33 of the inshot valve device will be caused to move toward the left against the opposing pressureof the spring 45 and as a resultof such movement the spring 38 causes the valve 30 to seat and thus close 01? communication from the valve chamber 3| to the passage '35 by way of .the passage '34. With the passage 34 closed fluid under pressure'flows from chamber 3| to the passage 35. and consequently to the brake cylinder by way of the restricted passage. 37, and since the flow of fluid from chamber 3| to .the passage 35 by way of the connected pasaction of the spring 18. With the vent valveI unseatedfluid under pressure is vented from the brake. pipe to the atmosphere by way of passage II and past theopen ventI valve. Fluid under pressure supplied to the quick action piston chamber I2 flows through portf|4 in thepiston to the atmosphere thus the pressure of fluid to the emergency piston chamber 24 and quick actionchamber 26 is reduced to atmospheric.

pressure. Now when the increasing brake cylinderpressure present in chambers 64 and 61 of the timing valve device becomes slightly greater than the reducing quick action chamber pressure present in chamber E32, thefiexible diaphragm 63 will flex outwardly and permit the timing valve 6| to unseat; With the timing valve unseated fluid under pressure flows from the passage 33 through restricted passage 65, passage 35 "and pipe 36 to the brake cylinders thus accelcrating the rate of 7 increase in-brake cylinder pressure over that which would be obtained by the flow of fluid through passages 31 and 50.

It will here be understood that if the train is ofsuch a length that it isdsirabl to have a rapid straight away build up of brake cylinder pressure the choked passage 58 may be made of such diameter or flow area as to render the control of the rate by the inshot valve device ineffective. If however, it is desired to have an intermediate retarded rate ofbuild up of brake cylinder pressure at a faster rate than the flow of fluid through the choked passage 3! alone will produce the flow area of the choked passage 50 is made such as to provide the proper acceleration of the rate of build up.

The additional means for controlling the rate of build up in brake cylinder pressure in effecting an emergency application of the brakes does not materially change or modify any of the other operating characteristics of the brake equipment, and in view of this a description of the brake equipment in its other control positions is deemed unnecessary.

While three illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limitits scope to these embodiments or otherwise than by the, terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fluid pressure brake equipment, in combination, a brake controlling valve device comprising a pipe bracket and emergency valve device and an equalizing valve device removably clamped together, said emergency and equalizing valve devices being operative to supply fluid under pressure to efiect an emergency application of the brakes, valve means operative to regulate the flow of fluid supplied by the equalizing and emergency valve devices, means adapted to be interposed between said pipe bracket and emergency valve device comprising fluid pressure control means through which brake applying fluid supplied by said equalizing and emergency valve devices may flow without control by said valve means to accelerate the rate of build up in the brake applying fluid, and means selectively operative to render said fluid pressure control means effective or ineffective.

2. In a fluid pressure brake equipment of the type having a brake controlling valve device comprising a pipe bracket and an emergency valve.

device clamped together, said emergency valve device being operative to supply fluid under pressure to efiect an emergency application of the brakes and having a communication through which the brake applying fluid flows, and also having valve means interposed in said communication for regulating the flow of fluid through said communication, a filler member adapted to be interposed between said emergency valve device and pipe bracket and having passages which,

When the filler member is so interposed, form parts of said communication and also having a passage connecting said communication at one side of the valve means to the communication at the other side of the valvemeans and through which the brake applying fluid may by-pass the valve means, and means for selectively opening and closing the last mentioned passage.

3. In a fluid pressure brake equipment of the type having a brake controlling valve device comprising a pipe bracket and an emergency valve device clamped together, said emergency valve device being operative to supply fluid under pressure to effect an emergency application of the brakes and having a communication through which the brake applying fluid flows, and also having valve means interposed in said communication for regulating the flow of fluid through said communication, a filler member adapted to be interposed between said emergency valve device and pipe bracket and having passages which, when the filler member is so interposed, form parts of said communication and also having a passage connecting said communication at one side of the valve means to the communication at the other side of the valve means and through which the brake applying fluid may flow without regulation by said valve means, and means carried by said filler member for selectively opening and closing the last mentioned passage.

4. In a fluid pressure brake equipment of the type having a brake controlling valve device comprising a pipe bracket and an emergency valve device clamped together, said emergency valve device being operative to supply fluid under pressure to effect an emergency application of the brakes and having a communication through which the brake applying fluid flows, and also having valve means interposed in said communication for regulating the flow of fluid through said communication, a filler member adapted to be interposed between said emergency valve detively opening and closing said passage.

5. In a fluid pressure brake equipment of the type having a brake controlling valve device comprising a pipe bracket and an emergency valve a device clamped together, said emergency valve device being operative to supply fluid under pressure to effect an emergency application of the brakes and having a communication through which the brake applying fluid flows, and also having valve means interposed in said communication for regulating the flow of fluid through said communication, a filler member adapted to be interposed between said emergency valve device and pipebracket and having a passage bypassing said valve means, said passage when open permitting the flow of brake applying fluid without regulation by said valve means and when closed insuring regulation of the flow of the brake applying fluid, and means for selectively opening and closing said passage.

ELLIS E. HEWITT. 

